TORONTO—Toronto’s Illustration and Artistic Community comes together on April 17th in a 12 hour art-event at Revival. The unique event will raise money to aid relief efforts in Japan following the devastating recent earthquake and tsunami there. Spearheaded by a consortium of Toronto illustration studios, the Artists Help Japan: Toronto event is the local iteration of a charity movement begun by Pixar Art Director Dice Tsutsumi. The Toronto edition will feature live art shows, a silent auction, and dozens of artists and illustrators selling commissioned drawings, with all proceeds benefiting the Canadian Red Cross.

“As artists we are tremendously inspired by Japan and Japanese culture,” says Bobby Chiu, the illustrator, teacher and founder of Toronto’s Imaginism studios behind the Artists Help Japan: Toronto event. “We were all personally affected by the quake, tsunami, and resulting damage. It is important to give back for all that Japan has given us, and we can think of no better way to do so than with our art.”

Artists Help Japan: Toronto will feature more than 24 artists and illustrators from the Greater Toronto Area creating original drawings for 12 hours! This is an unprecedented opportunity for the general public to commission an original drawing from a professional artist and watch its creation in process; the artist’s fee will be donated entirely to the Canadian Red Cross.

In addition:- Dozens more cartoonists will donate original art, books, and other rare items to be featured in a silent-auction on-site at Revival Bar.- Live art demonstrations from Toronto Illustrators on stage, with the final pieces to be auctioned off live at the event- $1 from the sale of every drink at Revival Bar will be donated to the Canadian Red Cross.

Admission to the ARTISTS HELP JAPAN: TORONTO event is free, and all ages are welcome. The event will run from 12 Noon to 12 Midnight.

ABOUT:

Artists Help Japan is a charity movement initiated by Dice Tsutsumi, an art director at Pixar Animation Studios, who was also behind 2008 Totoro Forest Project to help preserve Sayama Forest in Japan and Sketchtravel Project, to gather the force of communities of artists and creative minds around the world. We believe artists have special roles to contribute to the society. http://artistshelpjapan.blogspot.com/

Artists Help Japan: Toronto is spearheaded by Imaginism Studios President and illustrator Bobby Chiu, who was contacted by Dice Tsutsumi to run the Toronto event. Working with Illustrator Alvin Lee, Udon Entertainment CEO Erik Ko, writer/artist Jim Zubkavich, and Christopher Butcher of Toronto comic book store The Beguiling and the Toronto Comic Arts Festival, the team hopes to bring together Toronto’s diverse and exciting artistic community to engage the public in an unprecedented fundraising endeavour.

All proceeds from Artists Help Japan: Toronto will be donated to the Canadian Red Cross, specifically earmarked to aid in Japanese earthquake and tsunami relief. http://www.redcross.ca/

SPONSORS:

Revival Bar has been entertaining guests, visitors and fans as a premium event space since 2002. Revival has generously donated the use of their main space for the Artists Help Japan: Toronto event, and will be donating $1 from the cost of every drink to the fundraising efforts.http://www.revivalbar.com/

Friday, March 25, 2011

It's that time of the year again but this year it's in April! Wondercon is one of our favorite conventions. Not only because it's in one of our favorite cities: San Francisco but because the con itself is AWESOME. Tons of amazing artists will be on site. Kei, Chanp and I will be at Artist Alley table AA86-87 sharing space with our dear friend Bill Presing.

We'll have our last copies (less than 50) of Imaginism's 12th book "Chiutensity/Whispers" for sale at our table.

Friday, March 18, 2011

Hi all, we just wanted to thank you all again for the wonderful support you've given us over the years. We're happy (and a bit saddened) to announce that our 12th book "Chiutensity/Whispers" became sold out this morning. We will have a very small supply of less than 50 copies at Wondercon in SF April 1-3... and then they're gone forever :)

2. A Copy of our SOLD OUT "Ancient Japan Sketches" - The book is signed and drawn in by Kei Acedera.

The proceeds will go to ARTISTS HELP JAPAN organized by the amazing Dice Tsutsumi (Pixar Art Director). You can also make direct donations to them as well. Let us all unite and help out a country in need.

Monday, March 14, 2011

Kei and I were fortunate to travel to Japan back in May 2010. We visited Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and Hakone. We loved it there. People were so unbelievably polite and there was a wonderful sense of morals as well as a beautiful unique culture. The beauty of the land was incomparable as it's architecture and design.

We have been so sad to hear and see the devastation the earthquake and tsunami has brought to these wonderful people.

I did this drawing below for the people of Japan. This and a copy of our "Ancient Japan Sketches" (currently sold out) will be auctioned off. The book is signed and drawn in by Kei Acedera.